Pattern Release: Nightbloom Cowl

Textures and lace combine in my newest pattern, the Nightbloom Cowl. It’s now available on Ravelry and Etsy. Take 20% off the pattern in both shops with the coupon code COWL20.

This cozy cowl can go casual or dressy and offers multiple styling options—wear it long, for dramatic effect, wear it doubled around the neck for extra warmth. Nightbloom’s knit-purl textures and easy lace make for an engaging knitting experience—not as simple as garter stitch but not complicated, either.

Nightbloom is worked flat in fingering weight yarn; after blocking the two ends are joined using the three-needle bind-off to create a continuous loop. Instructions for the provisional crochet cast on and the three-needle bind-off are provided. The stitch patterns are provided both in written, line-by-line, format and in a chart.

The pattern provides two size options, 8.75 (13.75) inches/22 (35) cm wide by 59 (64) inches/150 (163) cm circumference. The photos show the wider/longer size. You can modify the size by working more or fewer repeats of the Lace Pattern, but keep in mind that if you make it wider or longer, you’ll need more yarn.

I used ElsaWool Cormo woolenspun fingering in Silver for the sample. It was perfect in every way—light and lofty, with a lovely drape and soft texture. I highly recommend a woolenspun yarn for this design—but of course, you can substitute any fingering weight you like or already have in your stash.

The introductory sale ends Friday, April 5—just use the code COWL20 to take 20% off. Happy spring!

LINKS

Nightbloom Cowl—Ravelry
Nightbloom Cowl—Etsy

Pattern Release: Arquerite Scarf

Happy New Year, everyone! I’m excited to share that my Arquerite Scarf pattern is now available in my Ravelry and Etsy pattern stores. And it’s on sale: take 25% off through Sunday, January 7. The discount is automatic—no coupon code is needed.

Arquerite Scarf by Bonnie Sennott

Knit in worsted weight yarn, Arquerite will keep you cozy and warm all winter. Knits, purls, and yarn overs team up to create a striking geometric design in this big rectangular scarf. The pattern provides two size options, 9 inches/23 cm wide or 13 inches/33 cm wide. Either one makes a thoughtful gift or a warm accessory just for you!

To knit Arquerite, you’ll need 525 (750)yds/(480) 685m worsted weight yarn and US #6/4.00mm needles (or size needed to get gauge). The stitch patterns aren’t difficult—just knits, purls, and yarn overs—so the knitting goes quickly. They are provided in both a chart and in written, line-by-line format, so whichever you prefer, the pattern’s got you covered.

I hope 2024 brings you lots of time for knitting and much joy in all of your creative endeavors. As always, thanks so much for reading my blog and knitting my designs. I love to see your finished projects on Ravelry and Instagram! Best wishes for a safe, warm, and wooly New Year.

Year-end Pattern Sale

Greetings from a dark, blustery day here in western Massachusetts. If all this rain were snow, we’d really be buried in it!

As the year comes to a close, I want to take a moment to thank all of you for supporting my work as a designer. It’s always a joy to see new projects posted on Ravelry or on Instagram and witness your creativity. As a gesture of my appreciation, I’m having a big year-end sale—25% off all individual Blue Peninsula patterns on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop. Just use the code THANKS2023 to get the discount (ebook sets are not included). The sale ends at midnight EST on December 31.

A few of my favorite scarves and shawls, clockwise from bottom left: Streusel, Ischnura, Mayblossom, Wonderberry, Hop Brook

Mitts, hats, cowls, sweaters, socks, shawls, and scarves are all included in the sale. You can use the coupon code as many times as you like, so it’s a great time to stock up on patterns you’ve had your eye on!

Bottom row, left to right: Couplet, Shallows, Exit 4
Middle row, left to right: Notch, Golden Valley, On the Other Hand
Top row, left to right: Purlish, Singing Beach, Journeyer

Winter’s End Scarf

Downy Hat

Next in Line Wrap

The year-end pattern sale ends on December 31, and so will our 2023 Next in Line Blanket Instagram knitalong. I’m still working on mine (but getting very near the end). Quicker, more focused knitters have finished theirs, and it’s been great fun watching their blankets grow (use the Instagram hashtag #nextinlinekal or look at projects on Ravelry if you want to see them). We had three giveaways of yarn, project bags, and stitch markers, too—all in all, it was a fun and inspiring KAL. Thanks to everyone who participated!

My Next in Line Blanket in progress

I hope this month brings you joy and many happy moments spent with friends and family. Best wishes for a beautiful New Year!

Bonnie

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LINKS
Ravelry
Etsy

A Wee Rhinebeck Sale: Katydid Cowl

Greetings, knitters! Are you headed to Rhinebeck this weekend (aka the New York Sheep and Wool Festival)? This year I won’t be going—but of course I’m excited to see everyone’s social media posts. Will the big maple be as bright and orange as ever? I hope so!

Although I won’t be there, you can see a beautiful new sample of my Katydid Cowl at Tidal Yarns. They’re in Building 30, Booth 7 this time. The pattern uses one full skein of her fingering weight yarn, plus four mini skeins.

To celebrate Katydid’s appearance at Rhinebeck, I set up a sale! Through October 31, you can take 20% off the pattern in my Ravelry, Etsy, and Payhip pattern stores. Use the coupon code SAVE20 (the code works in all three shops).

Katydid Cowl by Bonnie Sennott

Above is the sample I knit last year. Tidal Yarns chose to use a gorgeous grey-brown for their sample (below). I think the cowl looks equally good with either a light or dark main color. They have a lot of color options, so have fun choosing your colors!

Katydid Cowl sample knit by Tidal Yarns

Worked in the round on a circular needle, the Katydid Cowl requires no seaming or grafting. The pattern includes two sizes—a shorter length (quick to knit, perfect for gifts) or a longer version that can be doubled around your neck for extra warmth. Stitch patterns are provided in charts and in written, row-by-row instructions.

If you’re at Rhinebeck, I hope the forecast of rain doesn’t come true. There’s just nothing like wandering around the fairgrounds on a bright, sunny (but not hot) day, seeing so many beautiful handknits all in one place. And the sheep! Sometimes I think the sheep barns are my main reason for going. I can hear them baaing and smell the hay as I type this.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, I hope it’s a peaceful one.

Katydid Cowl Links

Ravelry
Etsy
Payhip

Update: Next in Line Blanket KAL

As summer draws to an end, I thought I’d pop in to give you an update on the yearlong Next in Line blanket knitalong. The KAL blankets are steadily growing in size! Knitters have kept knitting through the summer, though there have been days when heat and humidity have made knitting with a blanket on your lap unthinkable. I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks forward to the more knitter-friendly, cooler temperatures of autumn.

A second giveaway was held this week, and a lucky Next in Line knitter won the skein of Neighborhood Fiber Co. yarn and the hand-sewn journal pictured here. I had a lot of fun sewing the reusable notebook cover, which fits over a Moleskin journal (I sent the winner two, one with graph pages and one with blank pages). This one-of-a-kind upcycling project used scraps of Lotta Jansdotter fabrics, linen cut from an old pair of shorts, and a circle of red cotton from a jar of homemade jam that I got at a local market earlier this summer.

The Next in Line KAL continues throughout 2023. If you’d like to join, cast on anytime and post your progress photos on Instagram with the hashtag #nextinlinekal (or, post in the Ravelry thread). If you’ve posted at least one photo, you’ll be included when the final giveaway happens later this year.

There’s also an ongoing sale! Save 25% on the Next in Line Blanket pattern through December 31, 2023 at Ravelry, Etsy, and Payhip. The discount is automatic - no coupon code needed.

I hope your summer has been a good one. With wildfires, intense heat (the hottest July on record!), torrential rains, and flooding, it has been a difficult summer. If you are struggling in the aftermath of any of these terrible events, my heart goes out to you. Here in western Massachusetts, we had some flooding earlier in the summer that wiped out crops at some farms, but lately the weather has been milder and more pleasant (though it’s raining again as I type this).

In addition to Next in Line, I’ve been knitting steadily this summer on a new pair of Mill River Socks. I’m using yarn from New Hampshire dyer OlannGra, which I picked up last fall at a fiber popup at Green Mountain Spinnery, in Putney, Vermont. This is actually the third time I’ve knit the Mill River socks with Laura’s yarns—that’s how much I love them.

Summer wouldn’t be summer without the annual Tour de Fleece. This year I joined the Three Waters Farm team, with a spindle project (Soft and Sweet BFL/silk) and a wheel project (Hushed Stillness BFL/silk). The Hushed Stillness was the first full skein I’ve ever spun on a wheel (my new Electric Eel Wheel) and I’m pretty happy with how it came out. I’m planning to use it in a sweater, probably as contrast stripes paired with the brown Purl Soho Good Wool pictured here.

From June to August I was also knitting every day on the sample for a new design. Yesterday I mailed it off to the yarn company—watch for the pattern release in October! I can’t share photos or details yet, but expect a cozy textured accessory perfect for holiday knitting.

Now that I’ve finished the secret project, I’m itching to cast on that striped sweater and see how my handspun yarn knits up. I’m not totally ready for “sweater weather” just yet, though. I want to savor the summer’s warmth and enjoy for a little bit longer the cheerful sight of sunflowers that dot farm fields around here each August. There’s a big field of them down the road and they are a great excuse to go for a walk, just to see all the bright yellow flowers lifting their faces to the sun.

I hope your final days of summer bring you moments of joy. Thanks for reading, and—as always—happy knitting!

Blankets Are Happening! Next in Line KAL

Happy spring, dear knitters! I hope you’re seeing some crocuses and daffodils coming up and are enjoying warmer days. After a long winter, I’m ready for the change (even though the long winter meant lots of knitting time).

The 2023 Next in Line Blanket KAL is in full swing, with at least one baby blanket already finished! So it’s time for our first giveaway. If you are knitting a Next in Line blanket but haven’t posted a photo on Instagram yet, now’s the time. Be sure to use the hashtag #nextinlinekal. On Thursday, I’ll draw one name from the usernames of all KAL-ers. That knitter will receive all of these handmade (by me) items: an embroidered linen project bag, a lavender sachet made with vintage buttons, and a skein of 150 yards of handspun Cormo yarn (approximately sportweight). Plus, they can choose a free pattern - their choice of either my About Town Mitts or my Fee-bee Mitts (both use 150 yards or less of sportweight yarn).

If you want to join the KAL but aren’t on Instagram, no worries! You can post progress photos of your Next in Line blankets in the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group thread. I’m not on Ravelry as much as I used to be, but I do check that thread and comment on posts regularly.

The Next in Line KAL continues throughout 2023. I hope you’ll join us to create a beautiful throw or blanket for your home—or as a gift. After you cast on, post at least one photo on Instagram with the hashtag #nextinlinekal or in the Ravelry thread to be included when the next giveaway happens later this year.

The Next in Line Blanket pattern sale continues all year as well. Save 25% through December 31, 2023 at Ravelry, Etsy, and Payhip. The discount is automatic - no coupon code needed.

My Next in Line Blanket in progress - Log 10

LINKS
Next in Line - Ravelry
Next in Line - Payhip
Next in Line - Etsy
@bluepeninsula (Instagram)

2023: Year of the Next in Line Blanket

The Next in Line Blanket KAL has launched on Instagram! For this yearlong KAL, we’re knitting up Next in Line throws or blankets at a leisurely pace. Worked entirely in garter stitch, Next in Line is a fun and easy project, perfect for cozy evenings catching up on your favorite movies or shows.

Along with the KAL, there’s a yearlong sale! Save 25% on Next in Line through December 31, 2023 at Ravelry, Etsy, and Payhip. The discount is automatic - no coupon code needed.

Next in Line uses four colors of worsted weight yarn. The pattern offers instructions for two sizes—a throw and a blanket. But you can choose to stop whenever your blanket is a size you like. (Of course, if you add logs, you’ll need more yarn.) It’s knit from the center outward, by picking up stitches for each new log along an edge of the previous log. This means there’s no seaming or joining at the end!

For my Next in Line, I’m using DK weight yarn and a US5 needle. The yarn is Purl Soho Good Wool in Winter Grass, Wild Mustard, Blue Moon, and Wild Heath. So far, so good—I’m on Log 5 and very happy with the color combinations. I’m using an interchangeable needle, so I can switch the tips to longer cords as the blanket grows.

I’ve been weaving in ends as I finish each log. Of course, you can leave them all to the end if you like! But I know I’d simply procrastinate about weaving in a gazillion ends, so for me it’s best to bite the bullet and weave in as I go.

If you’ve cast on—or plan to—be sure to share your yarn and/or progress pics over on Instagram. I plan to have some giveaways during the year, and will pick winners at random from photos posted with the hashtag #nextinlinekal.

I can’t believe January is nearly over, can you? I hope your 2023 knitting projects are off to a great start, and would love to see you in the KAL—join anytime!

Bonnie

LINKS

Next in Line - Ravelry
Next in Line - Payhip
Next in Line - Etsy
@bluepeninsula (Instagram)

Next in Line Sale and Knitalong

The start of a new year is a great time to think big—and cast on something big. Like a blanket! Join me in knitting a Next in Line blanket or throw during 2023. We’re having a yearlong KAL on Instagram.

Next in Line Blanket by Bonnie Sennott

We’re having a yearlong KAL on Instagram. Along with the KAL, there’s a yearlong sale! Save 25% on Next in Line through December 31, 2023 at Ravelry, Etsy, and Payhip. The discount is automatic - no coupon code needed.

A Next in Line KAL starts January 1. Cast on anytime during 2023 and post your photos on Instagram with the hashtags #nextinlineblanket and #nextinlinekal.

Next in Line WIPs are welcome, too! We’ll motivate each other to keep knitting - and celebrate as we finish. Every now and then there’ll be a giveaway, too. 

The first Next in Line I knit (the pattern sample in the photos) was a wedding gift. So I’m excited to knit another, in different colors, just for me. I plan to cast on my Next in Line on New Year’s Day. I’m just waiting for one more color of yarn to arrive. Fingers crossed it’s here in time!

Since the KAL lasts all year, there’s no rush to start or pressure to finish quickly. We can take our time and enjoy ourselves, knitting lots of soothing garter stitch through the seasons. Whether it’s a special gift (makes a great baby blanket!) or a colorful new addition for your home, Next in Line is a relaxing and easy knit. I hope you’ll join me in making a special blanket or throw during 2023.

Happy New Year—and happy knitting in 2023!

LINKS

Next in Line - Ravelry
Next in Line - Payhip
Next in Line - Etsy
@bluepeninsula (Instagram)

Indie Design Gift-A-Long 2022

Tis the season - the tenth Indie Design Gift-A-Long (GAL) has begun! This annual event is a way for knitters and crocheters to come together and support each other as they tackle their holiday gift-making lists.

The GAL starts with a big pattern sale—you can save 25% on patterns by many indie designers (including me) with the code giftalong2022 on Ravelry. Find the Blue Peninsula patterns that are on sale in my Gift-A-Long bundle.

If you don’t use Ravelry, I've got you covered: through November 28, you can save 25% on all individual knitting patterns in my Etsy shop (no code needed).

The sale part of the Gift-A-Long ends on November 28. After the sale, the GAL fun continues with games and prizes over at the Ravelry GAL group, to keep you motivated as you do your gift knitting.

Happy pattern shopping and gift knitting! If you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you have a relaxed and beautiful day with your friends and family.

Pattern Release: Katydid Cowl

The seasons go round and round . . . just in time for Rhinebeck (aka the New York Sheep and Wool Festival), I’ve released a new cowl design knit with yarns I purchased last year at Rhinebeck.

Katydid Cowl by Bonnie Sennott

The Katydid Cowl is now available in my Ravelry, Etsy, and Payhip pattern stores. Use the coupon code KATYDID to take 20% off the pattern (the code works in all three shops).

A mix of lace and stripes creates beautiful textures and keeps the knitting fun in this infinity cowl. The pattern includes two sizes—a shorter length (quick to knit, perfect for gifts) or a longer version that can be doubled around your neck for extra warmth. The pattern photos feature the longer size.

The Katydid Cowl is worked in the round on a circular needle, so there’s no seaming or grafting. It uses five colors of fingering weight yarn—a main color and four contrast colors. Stitch patterns are provided in charts and in written, row-by-row instructions.

For my sample, I used naturally dyed fingering weight yarn from Tidal Yarns. I purchased one full skein and several minis from her at Rhinebeck 2022. They’re all so beautiful—it was hard to choose just a few. If you haven’t seen her yarns in person, be sure to stop by the Tidal Yarns booth!

The Katydid Cowl introductory sale ends Sunday, October 16 (the last day of Rhinebeck). I plan to wear Katydid at the festival—with predicted temps in the low 60s, it will definitely be cool enough for a cowl. (What a welcome change from last year’s warm weather!) If you see me, say hi—I love to meet Blue Peninsula knitters “in the wild!”

Katydid Cowl Links

Ravelry
Etsy
Payhip